Frank Wearne

Frank Wearne. Copyright, Lynn Matthews, 2018. Used with permission.

Born:

27 May 1913Belle Plaine, Iowa

Died:

21 Feb 1985Los Angeles, California

Nationality:

United States

Indy 500s:

7 (1937-1947)

Sprint and midget driver who was often at the Indy 500, which was normally the only big race he competed in. He was also a skilled car builder and later worked in a brewery for twenty years. As a child, Wearne suffered from bronchitis and was sent by his family to a relative in California, where Frank remained for the rest of his life. He gave up motorcycling for a racing career which started in dirt-track racing. A friend of former heavweight boxing champion Jim Jeffries, Frank tasted early success in a dirt-track race in Colton. He then won the 1936 AAA North West sprint car championship before dovetailing his racing with his Indy appearances, where he proved consistent, finishing in the top 10 on most of his seven appearances. He retired after the 1947 Indianapolis 500.